How to Fix Fried Arduino Nano/Uno/Mega

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While I was working on a project which includes an arduino I accidentally shorted it and now its dead. But it can be fixed really easily, So lets get started !

In this post I am fixing the Arduino nano if you have fried Uno or mega skip to step 7, but do read all steps once.

Supplies:

Step 1: Watch the Video

If you get bored of reading stuff you can watch my videos on YouTube ! Click Here

Step 2: Analyzing the Problem !

There are two ways in which you can burn your arduino

1) USB

2) External Vin pin

Step 3: USB

If you were using USB to power your arduino when it died if you flip it around you will see a black component, which is a diode and if u look closely it has a small bulge area or a spot swelled indicating it is dead which is the case for me so replacing it will fix the arduino, but before fixing it lets look at the other way you might have shorted it.

Step 4: Vin Pin

If you were using Vin pin when it died then if you flip it around you will see a small bulge area on this which is a voltage regulator replacing this will fix your issue, but in my case it works via Vin pin but not USB so I need to replace the diode so let's do it

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15 Discussions

This is excellent. Thanks a bunch! I fried the diode by accidentally putting 14volts through the Vin. I was able to do a quick fix by replacing the surface mount with a through-hole as you showed. Literally I was back to work in 30 minutes and "I learned something today." :D I'll try not to fry more boards down the road. But if I do I'll be able to fix them.

Has anyone run into bad crystals on the Uno? Seems to be more common on "cheap" units, I had it happen before but evidently the real cause might have been a dodgy USB-serial chip. Alas its hard to change those, it can be done with a rework station but its a complete horse. Symptoms: TX/RX lights not working, yet everything else does and if you swap socketed chip into working unit all is then well, it will run code fine just not update.

I recently fixed an Arduino Mega because of a blown voltage regulator (a few months ago). Thanks for putting up such a clear Instructable and video for others who may find themselves in the same situation. I hate seeing good stuff thrown away because people don't take the time to figure out what might be wrong.

Some Uno's (or other Arduino's, for that matter) have a type of fuse called a PPTC fuse. It is just a resistor, that, when it heats up, increases resistance exponentially. As it cools, the resistance lowers. So, technically, when the PPTC "fuse" trips, there is actually a small current passing through.

It just depends on the manufacturer whether they put that type of fuse on or not.

Yes, you're right. The spec is hold at 500-mA, but as Bourns describe as "trip" at 1000-mA. The point is there is no need to replace unless you whack 100-A through the Uno. It's probably a bit more sophisticated than a PTC resistor, with a defined "knee". A cursory look at the schematic suggests that it only protects the USB supply, by which time you've probably crashed the PC.